Kudus Oyenuga to make a big impact at Hartlepool United - now that he is finally fit

Richard Mennear

Ronnie Moore is looking for winger Kudus Oyenuga to make a big impact at Hartlepool United - now that he is finally fit.

The 22-year-old joined the club in the summer but was forced to undergo double fitness sessions at the club’s Maiden Castle training base, with Moore raising concerns over the shape he was in.

But after weeks of hard graft the winger finally made his Pools debut in the 2-1 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park.

Oyenuga came on for Dan Jones as a second half sub and was bright, if unpredictable, down the left wing.

He could have been shown a straight red card but referee Darren Deadman was lenient and instead decided to book the winger.

Oyenuga got a full 90 minutes under his belt in the reserve’s 2-0 win over Scunthorpe United in midweek, playing alongside Brad Walker and Ebby Nelson-Addy, to further boost his fitness levels.

Moore was pleased to see him finally involved in first team action at Wycombe.

And he says there is much more to come from the ex-Tottenham Hotspur youth.

“Kudus came on and his fitness levels are good now,” Moore told SportMail.

“He has ability.

“There is no doubt about that and he will get better and fitter the more that he plays.

“It is nice to see him get involved and know that he can impose himself on the game.

“It was good to see him get involved.”

Oyenuga was one of 10 summer signings to arrive at The Vic but his fitness levels were way below what they should have been.

So Moore and the club’s strength and conditioning coach Craig Hubbard, devised an intense series of double fitness sessions to get him fit.

Those sessions have worked and Moore is looking for the wide man to make an impact from the bench, with Oyenuga likely to be among the subs at Exeter City on Saturday.

Oyenuga arrived at League Two Pools with a good pedigree, having been a graduate of Tottenham Hotspur’s Academy. Oyenuga, from Walthamstow, signed a two-year deal at White Hart Lane in 2011 before going out on loan to MyPa Finland and with Bury and St. Johnstone.

After leaving Spurs, Oyenuga moved to Conference South outfit Hayes & Yeading where he quickly got among the goals to attract the interest of Dundee United who signed him in 2013. He played on loan at Scottish Championship outfit Cowdenbeath last year, scoring five goals.